in the kitchen with karen small

Autumn Ratatouille + Taleggio Polenta

Karen Small, founder and chef at The Flying Fig, welcomed the fall season by sharing with us one of her go-to dishes—ratatouille. Sautéed autumn veggies and cheesy polenta served hot for a cozy night in.

Instructions

In skillet, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Sauté zucchini and squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes and stir frequently. Repeat this process with peppers and onion, stir in garlic near the end and set aside. Sauté eggplant until tender and golden brown. Set aside.

In saucepan, bring water, stock and cream to a boil. Add nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Place ½ cup cornmeal into large bowl and add 1 cup of boiling liquid. Stir bowl contents back into pan and slowly add the remaining cornmeal. Stir frequently over low heat for 30—40 minutes to thin, add stock or cream to polenta.

Serve

Stir cheeses and butter into polenta and transfer to serving dish. Top with prepared ratatouille and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with pecorino gratings, basil and mint.